Woman Indicted For Use Of A Hoax Weapon Of Mass Destruction

Posted on 5/15/2013

Defendant: Gloria Powers

Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced today that the Franklin County Grand Jury returned an indictment against Gloria Powers aka Gloria Peoples aka Gloria Wade, age 60, for one count (F-4) Unlawful Possession or use of a Hoax Weapon of Mass Destruction, one count (F-3) Intimidation, and one count (F-3) Retaliation, for a total of three counts.

In June of 2011, Ms. Powers sent an envelope to the Columbus Dispatch which contained a suspicious powder and a letter threatening the Hon. Judge Kim Browne, of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations and Juvenile Branch.

An extensive investigation was conducted by the FBI and Columbus Police Department over the past two years, in numerous locations, into the source of the letter and powder and it was determined that it was sent by Ms. Powers. Judge Browne presided over the divorce of Patricia Peoples, Powers’ sister, in April 2011. According to O’Brien, Powers was arrested yesterday in Mississippi, and will be brought back to Columbus for her arraignment at a later date. O’Brien stated, “If convicted, Powers faces a maximum sentence of 7 ½ years in prison.”